Activities of Pervenche BERÈS related to 2010/2239(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Adequate, sustainable and safe European pension systems (debate)
Amendments (29)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation -1 (new)
Citation -1 (new)
- having regard to the horizontal social clause in Article 9 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 12
Citation 12
– having regard to the report of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and the opinions of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs under Rule 50 of the Rules of Procedure, the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection and the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (A7-0000/2010),
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas people are nowadays entering the labour force at a later age due to longer and, for some, higher education, on average people leave the labour market earlier than the legal pension age, and longevity is increasingtheir working lives are punctuated by periods away from work, and they live longer,
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas current data show that the number of people entering the labour market is declining (the EU population of a working age will start to shrink from 2012) and the number of pensioners is rising (in 2008 there will bere four EU citizens of working age for every one aged 65 or over, by 2020 this figure will be five to one, and by 2060 two to one); whereas this trend varies depending on demographic differences between Member States,
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the financial crisis has led to a growth in unemployment, rising budget deficits in many Member States and problems in the financing of pensions (whether tax or otherwise funded), and has demonstrated the fragility of certain pension fund systems,
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas the goal of a 75% employment rate laid down in the EU2020 Strategy should help secure the sustainability of pension systems,
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Observes that sound economic and social policies make an important contribution to growth, notably by preserving social cohesion and consumption, to growth, job creation and stability;
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Considers that long-term investment in pension systems requires a positive approach as part of economic governance and more particularly in the Stability and Growth Pact, and in the European Union’s financial and corporate governance legislation;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Observes that the EU lacks a set of common criteria and definitions which illuminate the various pension systems and their capacity to meet the needs of citizens, and that there is therefore a lack of transparent supervision applicable to all systems; stresses that the EU should primarily enhance the comparability of pension schemes and promote exchange of good practices.
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Considers that the European Union, in accordance with its Charter of Fundamental Rights and particularly Article 23 thereof, should adopt framework principles to ensure that women have access to a decent pension;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Does not consider it possible to set an adequate pension at European level, because the amount required is very dependent on specific circumstances in the Member States; calls, however, on the Union to come up with criteria that make it possible for each Member State to establish a set of criteria to guarantee a minimum level of pensions;
Amendment 167 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Stresses that, within the diversity of pension systems and economic situations in Member States at different times, the general systems (first pillar) combined withsupplemented by a work-related systems (second pillar) afford the best guarantee ofor an adequate pension provisionscheme, provided that the second pillar is generally introduced and managed jointly;
Amendment 185 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Stresses that the sustainability and adequacy of pension systems are certainly also affected by the third pillar, namely individual savings, facilitated or otherwise;
Amendment 206 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Points out that because of the financial crisis, several Member States are planning to introduce changes to their pension systems; urges them, however, to ensure that pension systems remain stable, reliable and sustainable, and that all changes are made after adequate social dialogue and on the basis of the provision of sufficient information; advocates that, if choices can be made by employees, enough time should be provided for them to make informed and well thought-out decisions;
Amendment 208 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Stresses that inflation and speculation damages the sustainability and adequacy of pension systems;
Amendment 210 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Calls on the Commission to conduct an annual comparative analysis of the different pension schemes in operation in the Union’s Member States; considers that useful information for further discussion would come out of this report, such as the average level of pensions, the extent of inequalities linked to gender or socio-professional standing, the sustainability of pension schemes and the risks inherent in each financing pillar; considers that this report ought to take into account factors, notably economic and demographic ones, specific to the Member States and should be based on statistical data furnished by a variety of institutions such as Eurostat, national statistical institutes, the relevant supervisory authorities and EIOPA;
Amendment 226 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Considers that, in view of demographic trends, and the consequent need to ensure that pensions can be paid for, are not uniform throughout the European Union; but believes it is necessary for more people to participate in the labour market and to do so for longer; observes that life expectancy is growing and calls on Member States to consider linking the statutory retirement age to life expectancy, which requires a concerted effort in terms of combating unemployment, achieving a proper work-life balance and addressing immigration;
Amendment 240 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Opposes any automatic adjustment of the age of entitlement to retirement pensions following the future trend in life expectancy and harmonisation of the statutory retirement age;
Amendment 257 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Notes that there are major disparities in the statutory retirement age and in the actual age at which older people cease to be employed; calls on Member States and the two sides of industry, therefore, to exchange information about good experiences and to conclude agreements leading to athe voluntary prolongation of working life, for example by rewarding people who work for longer and by penalising companies which make older workers redundant before the statutory retirement age; calls on the Commission to run information campaigns for citizens, and more particularly for management and human resource managers, to counteract the mistaken idea that experienced workers are less productive; calls for the maintenance of, if not an increase in, the funding for lifelong learning programmes in future proposals for the EU’s annual budget;
Amendment 268 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Considers that, for older employees performing physically and/or mentally demanding work, a labour market geared to flexibility and security must offer older employees creative solutions such as greater flexibility in the statutory retirement age, part-time pensions or adapted working conditions, with the emphasis on ability to work, to strike a lasting balance between the requirements of employment and the capacities of workers; considers there to be a need for an active policy to prevent discrimination on grounds of age; considers that particular attention must be paid to the extent to which work is physically or mentally demanding when calculating the years of pensionable service required for a full pension;
Amendment 290 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Regrets that the 2020 Strategy devotes no explicit attention to decent, sustainable and adequate pension systems;
Amendment 308 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Supports, in accordance with the 2020 Strategy, a targeted and active labour market policy which will lead to increased participation in employment on the part of older workers, women, young people, members of minority groups and the long- term unemployed;
Amendment 314 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Considers that pension schemes cannot serve as adjustment variables to meet the objectives of the stability and growth pact and that the aim of any reform of pension schemes should be to preserve their long-term sustainability;
Amendment 318 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)
Paragraph 21 b (new)
21b. Considers that the Ecofin Council cannot pre-empt the debate on the future of pensions from the short-term point of view of bringing public finances back into balance;
Amendment 399 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Calls on the Commission to investigate how employees’ right to participate in the second pillar can be facilitated and to make proposals, through enhanced social dialogue, for developing such a pillar where it does not yet exist and a method of governance to ensure that it is managed jointly, particularly with regard to its savings investment strategy;
Amendment 407 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Calls on the Member States to support the development of a social dialogue in the field of old-age pension provision and to take full account of the results of this dialogue;
Amendment 432 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Is concerned about the inadequate information provided to the public by public authorities and bodies administering pensions concerning the necessity, possibilities, accumulated entitlements, likely results and actual state of affairs with regard to old-age pensions; calls on the Commission and Member States to launch campaigns to enable and encourage members of the public to take measures to ensure adequate pension provision for themselves;
Amendment 442 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Considers that the information provided to individual members of the public in Member States and by funds concerning the accumulated entitlements commonly recorded in a national pensions register should be more transparent, accessible and linked at European level;
Amendment 446 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Considers that, w members of then pension provision is reublic must be promptly and fully informed, or when there is a changeover from a promisedf the consequences of a reform of pension to a promvised pension arrangemeion, particularly concerning the amount, or from a final salary to a mean salary system, the public must be promptly and fully informed of the consequencesf their own pension and the total number of years of pension contributions due;